A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request has revealed that Washington Metropolitan Police (MPD) Chief Cathy L. Lanier looked the other way while D.C. Police and the Philadelphia Police Department supplied Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) with guns that were illegal in Washington, D.C.

Feinstein used the guns as display items on January 24 when she pushed for more gun control in the wake of the heinous crime at Sandy Hook Elementary.

According to The Washington Times, a lobbying group contacted Chief Lanier on December 24, 2012, seeking “examples”–i.e., firearms–Feinstein could use to bolster gun control arguments on Capitol Hill. A week later “Feinstein’s press secretary, Tom Mentzer, asked the commander of the police department’s Crime Scene Investigation Division, Keith Williams, for 10 specific firearms.”

These guns included a Bushmaster AR-15, a “Tech 9 handgun, Smith & Wesson MP15, and a Glock 19 with ‘extended magazine,'” among others.

The Times says Chief Lanier “wanted to help Mrs. Feinstein]” with one caveat–she “didn’t want the media to know.”

So Cmdr. Williams emailed Feinstein’s press secretary to say the police would “prefer” there be “no mention of the fact that the weapons came from D.C. or were recovered by MPDC in the official language or speeches.”